Brownsville Community Clean Up Day

It’s beginning to look a lot like spring, and it’s time for our community to get together and make our town look beautiful.  BARC’s annual cleanup will be held on April 27th 2013 from 9am to 3pm.  Participants will remove litter from our streets, and clean an illegal dumpsite near downtown Brownsville.  Throughout the cleanup a volunteer will be stationed in Snowdon Square to direct community members to the cleanup sites.  Lunch will be provided by Georgio’s Pizza, Fox’s Pizza, and drinks from McDonalds.  Appalachian Coal Country Team Members Sara Goots and Jamie Brackman will be supervising the event, sponsored by Keep Pennsylvania Beautiful and the Great American Cleanup.  You can register in advance by calling the BARC offices at 724-785-9331.

An illegal dump site has developed around the Dunlap Creek, and participants will remove as much trash as possible from its banks.  Restoring the Dunlap Creek is part of wider redevelopment efforts from the Brownsville Borough and The Redevelopment Authority of the County of Fayette.  Dunlap Creek is one of the key features of the Brownsville Area High School Student in Action Team’s redevelopment plan “Operation Falcon Revitalization.”  BAHS students from the environmental science club will be encouraged to attend by faculty member Kathy Lacek.

In the event of inclement weather, a rain date is scheduled for May 5.

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Posted on behalf of Dreamweaver Marketing Associates.  Joyce Kane is the owner of Cybertary Pittsburgh, a Virtual Administrative support company, providing virtual office support, personal and executive assistance, creative design services and light bookkeeping.  Cybertary works with businesses and busy individuals to help them work 'on' their business rather than 'in' their business.  www.Cybertary.com/Pittsburgh

Brownsville Annual Community Festival and Ducky Race

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE                                              
July 5

Brownsville Community Festival, Ducky Race Organizers Unveil Aug. 4 Line-up

BROWNSVILLE, Pa. – Drawing on a strong sense of community spirit, elected officials, civic leaders and local business people are expanding the offerings at this year's Brownsville Community Festival and Ducky Race, slated for Aug. 4.

"It's growing every year," says Jack Lawver, Brownsville Borough council president. "We've had more support this year from the community than ever before to keep this going and make it a success."

It is the third year for the community festival and fourth for the Ducky Race, which started as a fund raiser for the Brownsville Area Revitalization Corp. and then blossomed the following year into a much larger event with the borough and Blueprint Communities Committee joining in as co-sponsors.

The staging ground is the downtown's historic Snowdon Square for the majority of activities. The Ducky Race, as is customary, will be held at Brownsville Riverside Wharf, where hundreds of yellow ducks are dropped from the Inter-County Bridge. The first three ducks to float across the finish line will win a weekend in Pittsburgh, $200 Dick's Sporting Goods gift card or a stack of gift cards valued at $100. The ducks are now on sale for $5 each at BARC's office, located at 69 Market St., and can be purchased at the festival prior to the 3:30 p.m. race.

Throughout the day, Snowdon Square will be bustling with activity as community organizations come together along with a diverse mix of vendors, musical performances and free children's activities, including face painting. Additional activities will be held at the Market Street Academy & Performing Arts Center, one of the anchors for the downtown business district. This year's community festival will conclude with a free Music on the Mon show from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. in the square.

"This is a community effort to bring everyone together and build community spirit," says Brownsville Mayor Lester Ward.

The community festival has become the grand finale to a week of homecomings for alumni, family gatherings and the Brownsville Firemen's Community Picnic at Kennywood Park, which is marking its 99th year Aug. 2. The Brownsville picnic holds the distinction of being the second longest running event in the park's history.

Brownsville's Aug. 4 events kick off with the 17th annual Falcon 5K at Brownsville Area High School. On-site registration opens at 7 a.m.; the race gets under way at 9 a.m. Trophies will be awarded to the overall top three male and female walkers and runners of the 12 age categories. To register in advance at a discounted fee, contact Ed Gursky of Brownsville or Tricia Rohlf at the high school before July 29. Proceeds benefit the Brownsville Cross Country Boosters.

Following the Falcon 5K, the activity swings downtown. Vendors will open booths at 11 a.m.  A community parade is scheduled to start at noon, featuring local fire trucks and emergency vehicles from at least 20 companies. The route will wind down Market Street, circle around town and stop near Snowdon Square. Also participating will be BASD's marching band, dance troupes, cheerleading squads, 5K runners and winners and a festive array of costumed characters. A panel of judges will select winners for a variety of trophies, including the best decorated fire truck.

To participate as a vendor or join in the parade, contact the mayor's office at 724-785-3363.

Aug. 4's tentative schedule is:
9 a.m. to 11 a.m. – 5K Race at Brownsville Area High School
11 a.m. – Booths open for business in Snowdon Square
Noon – Community parade
1 p.m. to 2 p.m. – Entertainment begins on the main stage.
2 p.m. – Parade winners will be announced.
2:30 p.m. to 3:15 p.m. – Entertainment, main stage
3:30 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. – Ducky Race, wharf
4:30 p.m. to 6 p.m. – Entertainment, main stage
6 p.m. to 8 p.m. – Music on the Mon

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Posted on behalf of Dreamweaver Marketing Associates.  Joyce Kane is the owner of Cybertary Pittsburgh, a Virtual Administrative support company, providing virtual office support, personal and executive assistance, creative design services and light bookkeeping.  Cybertary works with businesses and busy individuals to help them work 'on' their business rather than 'in' their business.  www.Cybertary.com/Pittsburgh

Pat Ballon Named Distiguished Citizen Brownsville Chamber

GREATER BROWNSVILLE AREA CHAMBER OF COMMERCE


For immediate release:

July 11, 2011

Brownsville Chamber Honoring Ballon

With Distinguished Citizen Award

BROWNSVILLE, Pa. – The Greater Brownsville Area Chamber of Commerce has selected Brownsville native and businessman, Pat Ballon, as its 2011 Distinguished Citizen.

The award will be presented July 18 as part of the festivities of the "Meet Me at the River" Cruise, a first-time joint initiative of the Greater Brownsville Area and Fayette County chambers of commerce. Each chamber has selected an honoree, with Fayette naming Christopher Kennedy of Hopwood as its 2011 Volunteer of the Year.

"Pat has been a faithful community supporter," says Frank Ricco, president of Brownsville's chamber.

Ballon is a self-made businessman whose longstanding reputation for giving back to the community is what merited the Distinguished Citizen Award. He is a 35-year member of the Hiller Fire Co., where he served as chief for 12 years; member of the board of directors for Mon-Vale Health Resources Inc. and its executive board for non-acute care and the Fayette County Area Vocational Technical School; chairman of the Luzerne Township Sewage Authority; and executive board member for the Patsy Hillman Park Foundation and the Greater Brownsville Area Chamber of Commerce. He is the 2009 recipient of Mon-Vale Health Resources' Gibbons Award for Dimensions in Service for the Health, Social and Civic Well-Being of Area Residents.

"I have always learned from Day 1 that you help people," Ballon says. "Neighbors help neighbors. That's instilled in you … and you do whatever you can to help the community." He and his wife of 22 years, Susan, are known throughout the area for their lifelong commitment to community service.

Ballon graduated from Brownsville High School in 1970 and attended California State College, predecessor of California University of Pennsylvania. He started in the business world during high school by opening a television repair shop in his parent's basement. Four years after he graduated from high school, he bought Brownsville Hardware, building it through the years into the largest independent business of its type in Fayette County – a 19,000-square-foot Do It Best store being expanded by 6,800 square feet this year and a 29-employee workforce.

Tickets for the July 18 dinner cruise are available through both chambers: 724-785-4160, Brownsville; 724-437-4571, Fayette. The Gateway Clipper will leave Brownsville's downtown wharf at 6:30 p.m. for a 2.5-hour cruise down the Monongahela River. Tickets are $65 per person, including dinner and entertainment.

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EDITOR'S NOTE: Cutline information, Pat and Susan Ballon. For additional information or an interview, contact the Greater Brownsville Area Chamber of Commerce, 724-785-3600.

Brownsville Annual Community Festival Lineup Announced

Brownsville Annual Community Festival Lineup

BROWNSVILLE, Pa. - The Brownsville Borough and the Brownsville Area Revitalization Corp. (BARC) would like to put a 'final call' out to any organizations or businesses interested in renting vendor space at this year's Brownsville Annual Community Festival. We'd also like to remind all the classic car owners in the area to contact Charlie Perkins (724-970-7462) to enter their vehicles in the festival's annual classic car show. The festivities will be held August 6, starting at 10 a.m., in downtown Brownsville. Vendor space is $25.00 plus $5.00 for electricity (if needed).

Please contact BARC before July 15th to ensure your organization (or your classic car) a place in this year's festival!

BARC is a 501c3 non-profit organization whose mission is to achieve economic development through historic preservation, heritage tourism, outdoor recreation, community stewardship, education, youth advancement and the arts.
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BARC on TAP Beer Tasting Event

For Immediate Release

Contact: Blake Fisher Phone: 724.785.9331


AmeriCorps VISTA Fax: 724.785.8626

E-mail: barcinfo@barcpa.org

BARC on TAP Tickets for Sale

BROWNSVILLE, Pa. - The Brownsville Area Revitalization Corp. (BARC) will host a beer-tasting event June 11 at Hiller Fire Hall.

BARC on TAP will be held from 7 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. at 937 1st St. The event will feature beer from Church Brew Works, Duquesne Beer, Full Pint Brewing, Vecenie’s Distributing Co., Frank B. Fuhrer Wholesale and select home brewers in addition to foods from Brownsville-area restaurants. Also featured will be a selection of prints of historic Brownsville from the Norman Patterson Collection.

Tickets are $30 per person. Tickets are available at the BARC office in the Flatiron Building, 69 Market St., Brownsville, 724.785.9331.

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For additional information:

Dennis Cremonese, 724.785.9331



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Brownsville Area Revitalization Corp. (BARC) is a 501c3 non-profit organization. Its mission is to achieve economic development through historic preservation, heritage tourism, outdoor recreation, community stewardship, education, youth advancements and the arts. Contact the BARC office, 724.785.9331, for additional information about programs and upcoming events.

Private Collection of Brownsville Historic Photographs Donated

CONTACT: Maren Meszaros Phone: 724.785.9331


Marketing/Public Relations Associate Fax: 724.785.8626

E-mail: barcinfo@barcpa.org

BARC Heritage Center Receives

1,140-Image Private Collection

BROWNSVILLE, Pa. – A collection of 1,140 historic photographs of Brownsville has been donated by a former resident, Norman "Bill" Patterson of Erie, to Brownsville Area Revitalization Corp. (BARC).

Patterson's donation will become part of BARC's permanent collection in the Heritage Center at 69 Market St., a museum focused on Brownsville’s role in the westward expansion of the U.S., coal and coke-era heritage and steamboat and railroad industries.

Patterson has digitally restored and enlarged photographs assembled by his lifelong friend, the late Harold Richardson, an inveterate collector of Brownsville memorabilia. Their mutually intense local pride has resulted in an irreplaceable portfolio of imagery of the riverfront town, before and after 1900.

"There comes a time when a private collection needs to become available to the wider audience that would appreciate it," Patterson says. "It is time to ensure that fate for my 'Old Brownsville' photographs. I can think of no better or more appropriate home than in the Flatiron Building."

Noted author and local columnist Glenn Tunney and BARC board member Norma Ryan are cataloguing the collection. Select images will be on display at upcoming community events.
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FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION OR INTERVIEWS:

Dennis Cremonese, BARC executive director, 724.785.9331

EDITOR'S NOTE:

Cutline information – Sept. 30, 1927 photo features downtown near Market Street and Brownsville Avenue; 1915 photo features the "Neck."



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Brownsville Area Revitalization Corp. (BARC) is a 501c3 non-profit organization. Its mission is to achieve economic development through historic preservation, heritage tourism, outdoor recreation, community stewardship, education, youth advancements and the arts. Contact the BARC office, 724.785.9331, for additional information about programs and upcoming events.

Sun Rising on Brownsville's Redevelopment Prospects

For Immediate Release


Jan. 11, 2011

"Brownsville on the move – remembering the past, but moving forward" – Mayor Lester Ward

Sun Rising on Brownsville's Redevelopment Prospects

BROWNSVILLE, Pa. – Seven students from the Brownsville Area School District's art department will lead a community initiative on behalf of the borough's mayor to showcase five historic buildings now controlled by the Fayette County Redevelopment Authority.

The students will gather at 10 a.m. Jan. 17 in the Market Street parking lot to construct a mural that will be expanded as more buildings become available for redevelopment and adaptive reuse. The students' community day is being held in conjunction with AmeriCorps Vista's Martin Luther King Jr. Day of Service 2011, a nationwide annual event promoting volunteerism as a tribute to the late Civil Rights leader.

Brownsville Borough Mayor Lester Ward initiated the multi-faceted project, which is aimed at marketing the buildings' availability to the more than 8,000 motorists who daily pass through the downtown while depicting the progress of an ongoing eminent domain case by the Fayette County Redevelopment Authority.

"What we're trying to do is bring some light to these buildings, bring light back into the town," explains the mayor, "and bring some hope."

The project's first phase will target vacant commercial properties recently acquired by the redevelopment authority – 5 Market St., 21 Market St., 18-24 Market St., 35 Market St. and 43-47 Market St. During the borough's heyday in the 1960s, commercial uses included specialty shops, a department store and a Murphy's 5&10, a now-defunct chain that embedded itself into the fabric of prosperous towns.

BASD's art students selected a sun design by senior Kendle Parsons as the focal point for a colorful mural featuring stencils of their silhouettes on the vacant storefronts. The conceptual phase included design input from AmeriCorps OSM/Vista's local volunteer Blake B. Fisher and BASD art department director Brian Nicholson.

"I've never really seen anything happening in Brownsville. I've heard it used to be busy and there were things to do. Now, there's nothing," says Parsons, who will be attending Waynesburg University in the fall. "Our project is the beginning of something new to signify Brownsville's rebirth."

In addition to Parsons, the participating BASD students are seniors Jared Gibson, Karen Ross, Gabby Vaughn and Parsons plus juniors Chad Gump, Garret Rohrer and Matt Karol.

The students' project is sanctioned by the Fayette County Redevelopment Authority, Brownsville Area School District, Brownsville Blueprint Communities Committee, Brownsville Borough, Greater Brownsville Area Chamber of Commerce, Brownsville Area Revitalization Corp., Brownsville Rotary Club, AmeriCorps Vista and the Martin Luther King Jr. Day of Service 2011.
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For additional information, schedule photos or interviews:

Andrew French, Executive Director, Fayette County Redevelopment Authority, 724-437-1547 ext. 210

Brownsville Mayor Lester Ward, 724-785-3363

Brian Nicholson, BASD art department director, 724-785-2021

Brownsville Announces Halloween Parade Plans

For Immediate Release:

Contact: Charlie Perkins Phone: 724-970-7462


E-mail: charlieperkins@rocketmail.com

Borough of Brownsville

PARADE FOR GHOSTS, GOBLINS, AND MONSTERS

This year’s Halloween parade will be held at 12:00PM on Saturday Oct. 30th. Costumed Halloweeners are to assemble in the lot behind the Sunset Discount Store no later than 11:45AM

The Brownsville High School Band will lead the parade from the parking lot onto Brownsville Avenue to Charles St. to Bank St. to Water St. then down to the South Side Fire Hall for judging. Prizes will be awarded in age groups of infant to six years and seven to twelve years.

Cash prizes will be awarded for first, second, and third place costumes in various categories. All participants to receive a treat bag from the sponsors: the Brownsville Borough Council, Brownsville Area Chamber of Commerce, Brownsville Ambulance Service, Brownsville Rotary Club, Brownsville Area Revitalization Corporation, other service organizations, and individuals of the community that are helping make this event possible.

For more information contact Charlie Perkins, 724-970-7462 or Teresa Hosler,  724-785-2617.

Brownsville Community Neighborhood Watch

Brownsville Community Neighborhood Watch

WHO: Brownsville Community Neighborhood Watch, Brownsville area residents, Fayette County Crime Stoppers Organization

WHAT: Public Meeting/Question & Answer Session

WHEN: Wednesday, October 27th, 2010 @ 7PM

WHERE: Brownsville North Side Fire Company

TOPIC: Brownsville’s Neighborhood Watch will welcome representatives from the Fayette County Crime Stoppers to their October meeting.  The representatives will address the mission of their organization and the role the public can play in making Fayette County a safer place to live. Mayor Ward will host a question and
answer session regarding crime stopping in the borough. Please plan to attend, as this meeting will be an excellent opportunity for residents to ask questions and voice concerns about crime issues that we are facing. The Neighborhood Watch and Mayor Ward welcome everyone from Brownsville Borough and our surrounding communities to this special event. We want to hear from you! As always, Neighborhood Watch will serve refreshments following the meeting. We welcome all existing and prospective members.

Brownsville Celebrates Opening of Historic Thompson House Restaurant

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contacts:
Jeffrey Wilhelm
Robert Kovach

724-785-4744

Historic Thompson House Restaurant, Shops Set Stage for October Openings

BROWNSVILLE, Pa. (Sept. 29) – Marking another milestone for an award-winning restoration project, entrepreneurs Jeffrey Wilhelm and Robert Kovach this weekend will reopen the Thompson House Restaurant and Tavern along with three retail shops in the historic 7,600-square-foot mansion in Brownsville Borough.

The grand opening of the Thompson House, located at 815 Water St., will be held Saturday from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m., featuring live music and complimentary dessert bar with coffee and tea. The Thompson House's re-launch is the first of three business openings planned in October for Brownsville Borough's re-emerging business district.

The four-story landmark, originally named Wayside Manor, was built in 1906 by Thomas H. Thompson as a single-family residence. In the early 1990s, Mary Jean Cicconi, a retired professor from California University of Pennsylvania, undertook the building's restoration and conversion into a restaurant and shop space. The project was accorded the 1994 Outstanding Achievement Award for historical preservation by the Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission.

Wilhelm and Kovach, Brownsville residents for 13 years, acquired the mansion in January to become part of the borough's business revitalization and fulfill their longtime dreams to own a dining establishment. The former owner – a Brownsville native – closed the commercial property two years ago due to her health.

The Thompson House reopening will create an immediate 16 part-time jobs in the borough and more in the future as the business grows. The co-owners have hired an architect to transition two second-floor bedrooms into overnight suites for a boutique bed and breakfast. Future plans include a Civil War Ball to be held in conjunction with National Pike Days, dinner-theater weekends, live music and ongoing partnerships with local events.

The Thompson House's 54-seat restaurant was introduced with a soft opening two weeks ago. Saturday's grand opening debuts the Thompson Tavern, a lower-level casual-dining venue with seating for 30, and a banquet room for up to 35 guests. Also opening is River Bend, a fine collectibles and antique shop; Ye Ole Shoppe, a country store with general merchandise, including specialty candies; and a folk art shop. Two more shops will soon light the balance of the 2,400 square feet of retail space.

Wilhelm manages the kitchen and Kovach, the Tavern. The cuisine features recipes from Wilhelm's family and chefs he's assisted. Dining options include appetizers, salads, specialty sandwiches, desserts and full-course selections. Thompson House Restaurant is open daily from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m.; Thompson Tavern, daily from 11 a.m. to 1 a.m.; and the retail shops, daily from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m.
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EDITOR'S NOTE:

Saturday's grand opening will include a complimentary dessert bar with coffee and tea for media and customers.

Jeffrey Wilhelm and Robert Kovach are available for interviews before and during the grand opening of the landmark property, which is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

Additional feature: The co-owners' home has historic ties to the Thompson House, a fact they discovered after the 104-year-old mansion was bought.

Brownsville Honors 9/11 Heroes

For Immediate Release
September 9, 2010

Contact: Blake Fisher Phone: 724.785.9331


Watershed Development Coordinator Fax: 724.785.8626

E-mail: blakef@barcpa.org

Brownsville 9/11 Ceremony

On Saturday September 11, 2010 from 8:30-9:30AM in the Market Street parking lot, the Borough of Brownsville and Mayor Lester Ward are hosting a ceremony to honor the area’s police, fire and emergency personnel as well as those who lost their lives on September 11, 2001.

Participating in the ceremony will be the American Legion Honor Guard, the Brownsville Area High School Marching Band and Reverend Keith Pozzuto of Christ Church.

Please join the Borough and the Mayor as they honor our local police, fire and emergency personnel in Brownsville on Saturday September 11, 2010.

For more information on the event contact Blake Fisher at 724.785.9331 or blakef@barcpa.org
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Learn About Identity Theft at Brownsville Neighborhood Watch Meeting

Brownsville Neighborhood Watch




Press Release



Who:
Host: Brownsville Neighborhood Watch Group,
Guests: All Brownsville Area residents



What: Monthly meeting (June)



When: Wednesday, June 23rd, 2010 @ 7 P.M.



Where: Northside Fire Hall (next to Napa Auto Parts)



Additional Info: At this month’s meeting, Brownsville Neighborhood Watch welcomes Mrs. Barbara Carroll from PNC Bank. Mrs. Carroll will discuss ways to avoid identity theft. Corporal Gerald Pslug of the Pennsylvania State Police will also share information regarding identity theft. Be sure to take advantage of the opportunity to gain all of this valuable knowledge. We extend a warm welcome to the residents of Brownsville Borough and all of our surrounding communities. Please bring your friends and neighbors to hear all of this important information. As always, join us for refreshments afterwards. For additional info, please call 724.366.1731.